It seems like just a year ago that we were the top dogs of the campus: finally we could declare proudly that, yes, we were indeed seniors.
We looked at the campus with bold eyes, we stood proud and tall, and we were almost done. But guess where we are once again? Class of 2015, we are freshmen roaming the campus of UCI. We’re not exactly sure how to get from the Biological Sciences building to the Engineering building, but as long as we walk on Ring Road, we should be fine, right? Here we are again: a whole new world, a brand new place.
With about two more weeks till move-in day, I know all I feel is excitement mixed in with a bit of nervousness. What do I need to take to my dorm? Will my roommate like me? How will I find my way? Which clubs should I join? How will I make new friends? All these questions have overwhelmed me but there are answers!
The first problem to address is what’s really necessary in your dorm and what you could probably just leave behind.Freshmantips on Tumblr has come up with the official Superlist that could help every lost freshman just like myself. This list clearly bullet points all the things that you might need starting from scissors, glue, pens to Easy Mac or even nail clippers and sunscreen. Another thing that might be super helpful is to virtually create a checklist so that you know what you need to shop for and what you already have lying around home; collegepackinglist.com makes it easy to do that! With a hit of a button, you could create your own shopping list and by clicking on another button, you can reveal some of the cheapest deals on a product. These two sites have helped me immensely with all my dorming problems!
Now, we all are probably wondering about how the social life at Irvine is; it’s a big change from high school and there are so many new ways to make friends and to get involved! Of course, Welcome Week is going to have the Anteater Fair that presents all the different clubs and organizations present on campus, but if you want to get a head start, check out
www.campusorgs.uci.edu for a list of all the clubs at UCI. Wish you had the inside tidbits of campus life?welcometocollegefreshmen.com has great tips for both girls and guys about what to expect in dorms, classes, and even social activities. Great sites for many girls to use, whether they be freshmen or upperclassmen, are collegefashion.net and
hercampus.com. CollegeFashion provides some great insight on what you might need to bring attire wise to college so you’re ready for any occasion in college. HerCampus gets a little more personal as this site gives you tips on how to deal with your roommate, how to maintain a healthy lifestyle in college, and how to even get into a relationship (or keep a long-distance relationship if you’re in one!). What’s also cool about HerCampus is that there’s a personal page for UC Irvine. So if you’re not sure how to deal with the change in your social life, check out these sites!
Overall, coming into a new campus and being at the bottom of the food chain can, of course, be a little intimidating. However, you’ll realize that you’re not the only one who’s scared (and excited!) for this whole new chapter to your life. The official UCI Class of 2015 page on Facebook is swarmed with over 3000 members, both freshmen and quite a few upperclassmen, who are there to answer your questions and somewhat alleviate the anxiety that you might have. With about two more weeks left to go, I’m on the edge of my seat! This whole new world awaits us all. Can’t wait to meet you all! Zot Zot Zot!
